Little Question Four of Principal Question Four
On the conditions of fortune
It is asked how many conditions of fortune there are.
To this it is answered that, although its conditions are many, nevertheless there are nine principal ones.
The first of them is that fortune impels a human being without any reasoning proper to the fortunate human being.
This is evident because those impulses which the well-fortuned follow are without reason. It is evident because, if some well-fortuned person is asked why he follows such an impulse, he will not know how to give a reason. Rather, he will say, “I do this because my heart thus dictates to me.” And thus, in place of a reason, he will assign the pleasure of his will and the dictate of his heart, saying, “Thus it pleases me, and thus my heart dictates.”
The second condition of fortune is that it exceeds and surpasses the prudence of wise human beings.
The reason for this is that such persons—namely, the well-fortuned—must receive that divine instinct which surpasses every sense and every intellect.
Hence all human prudence can effect absolutely nothing concerning good or evil fortune.
The third condition of fortune is that it favors the simple and foolish more than the wise.
This is proved in two ways: by reason and by example.
By reason thus: that person is more fortunate who follows divine instinct more. But simple persons, having put reason aside and not being devoted to external actions, perceive and follow interior instincts and divine impulses more than do the wise, who follow reason. Therefore.
Second, the same is evident by example. For just as the blind, after losing their eyes, remember more and retain what is remembered more firmly, so simple persons, having put reason aside, follow divine instincts more. For a sense directed toward several things is less attentive to each individual thing.
Hence we see foolish persons more frequently victorious in battles, fortunate in games of dice, and experiencing many instances of good fortune. For this reason there exists a proverb expressed as though it were a proven saying: “For Fortune, provided there is little sense, that is enough.” And again: “Where there is fortune, there is weakness of intellect.”
The fourth condition of fortune is that fortune is mixed. Hence in this life no one is found so happy and fortunate that he is not badly fortuned in some respect.
Hence Augustine, assigning a reason for this in Sermon 19 upon Matthew, says: “God therefore mingles bitternesses with earthly felicities, so that some felicity may be sought whose sweetness is not deceptive. Run through all those who have been called happy.”
The fifth condition of fortune is that it is equitable and just, because good persons frequently seem to be unfortunate.
Hence Gregory says in Book XV of the Moralia: “The prosperity of the present life is not a witness of innocence, because many return to perennial life through scourges, while very many are led to endless punishments without scourges.”
And Gregory says again in a certain homily: “The prosperity of the present life is sometimes given so that it may summon someone to a better life, and sometimes so that it may condemn him more fully for eternity.”
Therefore, no one ought to rejoice over a well-fortuned sinner.
Hence Augustine says upon a Psalm: “Let no one congratulate a human being because he prospers in his life, when his sins lack an avenger and have a praiser. This is the greater wrath of the Lord. For the sinner has provoked the Lord so that he does not suffer the scourge of correction here.”
The sixth condition is that fortune has a defect of truth. For we believe many things to be fortunate which are not, and conversely.
Therefore, we ought to consider good or evil fortune diligently.
Hence Augustine says in On the Words of the Lord: “It belongs to great virtue to wrestle with felicity. It belongs to great felicity not to be conquered by felicity.”
The seventh condition is that fortune itself is unstable. For the good fortune of this world lasts a short time.
Hence Innocent says in his book On the Utility of the Human Condition: “Suddenly, when it is not suspected, misfortune happens, calamity rushes in, and death—which no one escapes—intercepts.”
Hence Seneca says in Epistle IV: “Fortune has advanced no one so far that she does not threaten him as much as she had promised. Do not trust this tranquility; in a moment the sea is overturned, and on the same day ships are swallowed where they had played.”
Hence Boethius, reciting the words of Fortune, says: “We play this continual game; we turn the wheel in a revolving circuit; we delight to change the lowest things into the highest and the highest into the lowest.”
The eighth condition is blindness.
Hence the pagans depicted fortune as blind, because, running indiscriminately into any persons whatsoever without any examination of merits, she comes to the good and the evil.
She is not, however, called blind because she herself is blind, but because she very often makes those whom she embraces blind.
Hence Livy says: “It rarely happens that good fortune and a good mind are given to human beings at the same time.”
And Boethius says:
Fortune makes the one whom she fosters blind and foolish.
And Juvenal says in Book II:
For common sense is almost rare in her.
And Tully says in On Friendship: “Fortune has blinded many ignorant persons to no moderate degree.”
The contrary of this happens to a prudent person.
Hence Seneca says: “The instability of fortune does not shake the mind of a prudent person.”
For a virtuous person is neither raised up by good fortune, because there is no exterior good which he values greatly, nor cast down by evil fortune, because he is saddened by no misfortune so greatly that he turns aside from the path of reason, as the Philosopher says concerning the magnanimous person in Book IV of the Ethics.
The ninth condition of fortune is that it is never perfect. For that to which nothing is lacking is called perfect.
But no one in this life is so fortunate that something is not lacking to him, that what he possesses suffices for him, and that he does not have infinite bitternesses together with his felicity.
Hence Boethius says in Book II of The Consolation: “With how many bitternesses the sweetness of human felicity is sprinkled! Even if it seems delightful to the one enjoying it, nevertheless it cannot be kept from departing when it wishes.”
These things are from theologians and philosophers.